The 101 Tower

2404 - Li, from China, recently went to Taiwan and spent a few days in Taipei.  Her schedule included a trip to the top of the 101 Tower.

The Taipei 101 tower has 101 floors above ground and five underground. Upon its completion Taipei 101 claimed the official records for:

    Ground to highest architectural structure (spire): 508 m (1,667 ft). Previously held by the Petronas Towers 451.9 m (1,483 ft).
    Ground to roof: 449.2 m (1,474 ft). Formerly held by the Willis Tower 442 m (1,450 ft).
    Ground to highest occupied floor: 438 m (1,437 ft). Formerly held by the Willis Tower 412.4 m (1,353 ft).
    Fastest ascending elevator speed: designed to be 1,010 meters per minute, which is 16.83 m/s (55.22 ft/s) (60.6 kilometres per hour (37.7 mph)).
    Largest countdown clock: Displayed on New Year's Eve.
    Tallest sundial.

The Reading Frog

2302 - From Renate in Austria came this frog, reading Grimm's tales.  Reading frogs are not as strange as they may seem - I recently sent a postcard of Jeremy Fisher (Beatrix Potter's character) reading!

Two new countries - Chile and Barbados

I have recently received cards from two new countries.  I must amend my countries page.

2344 - From my friend Vee in Barbados.  She only regretted she couldn't send some of her sunshine with it!

2328 - Sini, on holiday from Finland, spent a few days in December on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Chile.  Not only is this a new country but I never expected to get such a wonderful UNESCO WHS.

Rapa Nui, the indigenous name of Easter Island, bears witness to a unique cultural phenomenon. A society of Polynesian origin that settled there c. A.D. 300 established a powerful, imaginative and original tradition of monumental sculpture and architecture, free from any external influence. From the 10th to the 16th century this society built shrines and erected enormous stone figures known as moai , which created an unrivalled cultural landscape that continues to fascinate people throughout the world.

Cats Galore

2409 - Another card from Li.  This, to my amazement, is made of metal.   She sent it from Houtong on Taiwan.

Known as the Cat Village, Houtong is situated at Hou Tong Station on the railway to Yilan and is an hour's ride from Taipei Station. The whole area is filled with cats which are friendly and not afraid of people. There are also plenty of shops selling souvenirs relating to cats.

  2429 - Another Findus card from my Swedish friend Monica.  These cards  are irresistible.

 2456 - Another cat from Li in China.   This time it is wooden.

2438 - And another cat from Monica.

2441 - A Maine Coon from Arianne.

2447 -  And another cat from Arianne in the USA.

2440 - Heleen in the Netherlands sent this brilliant cartoon.  I love it!

2364 - Susanne from Dortmund chooses some wonderful cards to send me - often finding ones that are in my favourites folder on Postcrossing.  This was one of those.

2400 - In some cases it was the arrival of Annabel and Mac in the household that caused folk to send me cat pictures but Anastasia in Belarus was simply aware that I likle the Blue Cat series and thought I might like Pookie as well.  I do!

2471 - This card from Katya and her mum Marina in Ukraine is both a cat card and a clock card so it will end up on both my card blogs.  Indeed, it is so great I am almost tempted to put it on my Rambles blog as well.....  The artists is Alexey Dolotov.

The Tap Stamp

A few times recently I have seen on people's blogs this weird and wonderful stamp from Spain.  On card 2462 (shown on my clock postcard blog as No.15) from Eva I recieved it.

It reminds me of the pictures of the Dutch graphic artist, M. C. Escher.